At least five elephants were killed when they were hit by a train while crossing railway tracks in eastern India Sunday, officials said. The passenger train hit a herd of elephants as it was crossing the tracks in Ganjam district of Orissa state, railways spokesman RN Mahapatra said. Five elephants died on the spot, about 170 kilometres south of state capital Bhubaneshwar, according to initial reports. There have been more than 118 elephant deaths in India due to train collisions since 1987, the Wildlife Trust of India was quoted as saying by DPA